RMAX Faculty Head Coach
CSTJapan Director
The Short Story
Ryan first came to Japan to further his interest in Japanese martial art and the Japanese culture. After graduating from Kansas State and Niigata University, Ryan pondered whether or not to become an outdoor guide or take up a position within Japan at an information gathering company. He chose Japan and hasn’t left since then. Having left the company world long ago, Ryan specializes in complete body transformation, instructing in both Japanese and English at his private studio in Osaka.
When Ryan isn’t teaching CST, you can find him hiking or running the trails of Rokko and Mino Mountain, practicing Shorinji Kempo, or just chilling with his wife and their 2 year old daughter. With another baby on the way Ryan is getting ready for another round of sleep deprivation and diaper changing.
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The Full Story
Coach Ryan Hurst is the newest addition to the RMAX Head Coaching Staff and is the representative for RMAX/CST Asia. From a very young age he competed in gymnastics which continued throughout high school. In Junior High while also practicing gymnastics he started Aikido and became fascinated with the Japanese culture.
However, on the weekends you could find Ryan outdoors hiking, climbing, canoeing, and exploring with his Dad and the Boy Scouts. He went on to become an Eagle Scout and also received his outdoor guiding license which lead to working as a guide during his summers at university.
While the out of doors always pulled at Ryan, martial arts were pulling harder. Wanting to further his education of martial arts and the Japanese language Ryan first came to Japan while in university. This pursuit lead him to stay in Japan and continue his training in Osaka, Japan. During his first long stay in Japan while at the University of Niigata, he lived with his Kendo instructor as an ‘uchi-deshi’ or ‘live-in (Martial Art) pupil’. It was during this time that Ryan became fully absorbed with the martial art world in Japan. His practices included weekly meetings and bouts with members of the Niigata Police force and Japan Self Defense Force. It was through hard work with these people that Ryan earned his black belt rankings in Kendo and Iaido and first started Judo.
Also while at university, Ryan was introduced to the practice of Raja Yoga. Yoga became an extremely important part of Ryan’s life and he devoted daily practice of the asanas and meditation in order to not only advance himself physically but more importantly mentally. Later on Ryan would find that yoga would help him with stress as the hustle and bustle of life in Osaka and the corporate world started to wear him down.
Having graduated from university, Ryan moved to Osaka and continued with his Martial Art practice. It was here where he dove head first into Judo while working at the Sumiyoshi Budokan (Sumiyoshi Martial Art Complex) located at Sumiyoshi Shrine. At this time Ryan also worked with instructors in Kendo, Daito-Ryu Aiki-jujitsu and Shorinji-Kenpo. However, it was Judo that consumed the better part of his MA time and through his contacts at the Sumiyoshi Budokan he also practiced with police officers at Osaka Castle (Shudo-kan) and at the Minatoku Police Station. His black belt rankings in Judo were all earned through winning at tournaments as a representative of the Minatoku Police Station’s Judo club, Minatoku Ju-yu Kai.
Currently Ryan continues his martial art training twice a week in Shorinji Kempo under 8th degree Matsui Sensei.
Ryan was first introduced to Coach Scott Sonnon‘s material through Grappler’s Toolbox. Ryan was very intrigued with the video and used it to help him with his martial art practice. It wasn’t until a very serious dislocation of his shoulder that he fully came to understand the beauty of CST and how it can help a person in recovering full range of motion and work in the prevention of injury.
Ryan released the Japanese version of Intu-Flow, Joint Wellness, in 2005. In 2006 along with Head Coach Ilano he released the Prasara Primer textbook and in 2007 followed up with the release of the Prasara Primer DVD. Ryan has appeared in multiple magazines and has been featured on GAORA Sports Station conducting a bi-weekly show featuring Prasara BodyFlow Yoga.
Ryan specializes in complete body transformation instructing privately to Japanese and non-Japanese alike at his private studio called Ryan’s Private Studio. Ryan trains several Japanese media stars and his seminars are filled with people coming in from all parts of Japan.
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